Artwork
16m 2s
16m 2s is a print by de Sade. It is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
16m 2s (2012) is a mixed-media print by the contemporary artist working under the name de Sade. The work combines traditional etching, digital printing, and crayon on a white substrate, measuring a modest size that emphasizes its stark monochrome composition punctuated by a vivid red element.
Subject & Meaning
The central image consists of an ambiguous, blurred black form that suggests a face or object, overlaid by two rough, intersecting red crayon lines. A narrow gradient bar of orange‑red occupies the upper left corner, while handwritten French annotations, including the title, appear at the bottom, hinting at temporal or spatial measurements that remain open to interpretation.
Technique & Style
De Sade integrates hand‑etched lines with digitally printed color swatches, then adds hand‑applied crayon to create a layered surface. The contrast between the precise black etching and the gestural red marks underscores a dialogue between mechanical reproduction and manual intervention, characteristic of the artist’s hybrid approach.
History & Provenance
Created in 2012, the piece is signed, numbered, and titled by the artist. It has been exhibited in several contemporary art contexts and is included in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, where additional works by de Sade are on view.
Context
The artist adopts the pseudonym de Sade, referencing the 18th‑century writer, yet operates within a modern visual language that juxtaposes digital processes with traditional printmaking. The work reflects ongoing explorations of time, measurement, and the tension between controlled and spontaneous mark‑making in early‑21st‑century print art.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Donatien Alphonse François, Marquis de Sade was a French writer, libertine, political activist, and nobleman best known for his libertine novels and imprisonment for sex crimes, blasphemy, and pornography.
